West Ham: Looking back on Alan Irvine, and what could be next
West Ham United’s assistant, Alan Irvine, has stepped down from the club due to personal reasons. Leaving a vast void, where will the Hammers go next?
The news sent shockwaves into the West Ham when it broke earlier this week, but the more sudden blow has to be on the West Ham gaffer. David Moyes and Irvine have been together since Moyes’ Everton days, so this will undoubtedly take its toll on and off the pitch. It’s important to note that he will stay on with the club in a consultancy role, according to The Athletic.
The rest of the backroom staff looks to be staying put, but Irvine’s leadership and presence will certainly be missed by them as well. Alan Irvine was vital in the Hammers run-in and earning a Europa League slot. He also helped lead the club to three wins at the beginning of the season when Moyes was out after contracting COVID-19.
Going back to last season, you would be remiss to forget that he also played a crucial role in helping coach the Hammers up and avoid relegation. After finishing 16th during the 2019/20 campaign, West Ham rose to 6th this year, and Irvine must be credited with some of that growth.
West Ham: Looking back on Alan Irvine, and what could be next
Moyes, GSB, and everyone around the Hammers will undoubtedly want to get this spot filled as they will begin preparing for the additional workload coming up this season. The most renowned name to jump on the Assistant Manager role could be Billy McKinlay. McKinlay worked with the Gaffer when he was in Spain and is recently unemployed after leaving Stoke City.
A highly notable past assistant of Moyes is Steve Round. They worked together during his stint with Manchester United. However, Round is currently Arteta’s assistant at Arsenal, making that reconnection not as probable. If the West Ham brass wanted to keep it close to the chest, they could look to Kevin Keen or Pottsy from the Academy, but that still seems way off.
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The coaching carousel in European Football always seems to be continuing and yet always pretty similar. What I mean by that is that assistants usually always follow their Gaffer, and the bloodline is never too far strewn. With that in mind, we predict that McKinlay will be the next Irvine and a right fit for David Moyes leading into a pivotal 2021/22 season.